


Always

by orlesiantitans



Series: 100 Themes [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-16
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-05-07 02:28:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5440079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orlesiantitans/pseuds/orlesiantitans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Ferelden can survive without its’ Queen,” she whispered, finally.</p>
<p>“I can’t,” he replied, and he looked so lost and young that she almost pulled him back to her. Instead, she shook her head and stood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always

Elissa wasn’t _entirely_ sure how many times she’d said those words in the last few weeks, but she was sure it was in the higher ends of double digit numbers. Perhaps it had even hit triple digits.

She _knew_ Alistair wasn’t happy about her leaving. Honestly, he hadn’t made a secret of it, asking her why she had to do it alone, why she had to do it at all, begging her to take him with her…

She sighed and did up her belt, grabbing the leather waistcoat she’d worn often during the blight, and still equipped for the occasional hunting trips she was invited to (forced on).

“I know, I know, but I’d be happier if you’d at _least_ let me send a guard with you. To keep you safe,” he retorted, and she rolled her eyes, turning to face him with one eyebrow raised.

“Alistair,” she warned, and she saw him flinch. This was her ‘Queen voice’, one she had stolen from her mother and adapted for herself. At the most recent Landsmeet, she’d made Bann Ceorlic- one of the heaviest critics of she and Alistair’s rule- actually _shake_ in his shoes when he questioned their decision to allow the apostates to stay in Redcliffe after they rebelled. Teagan had actually stood next to her and laughed, no matter how well he tried to conceal it, and she’d had to nudge him in the ribs to shut him up.

Needless to say, the two of them had managed to become very good friends in the years since the Blight, and she _would_ miss him while she was away.

Though not as much as she’d miss Alistair.

The man in question was still lying in their bed behind her, frowning slightly with the puppy dog eyes in full use. She sighed, “Alistair, I’ve defeated an Archdemon. I can travel alone.”

Her husband began muttering behind her, and she smirked slightly when she strained to hear him.

“…honestly, woman defeats one Archdemon and thinks she’s invincible. She wasn’t the only one to put it down, I _distinctly_ remember being there…”

She smirked and jumped next to him on the bed, despite her boots (and she only grinned wider when she thought about the maid whacking Alistair about the head for the mud the next morning- woman didn’t seem to care he was the King).

“I’m not killing Archdemons this time, so I don’t need anyone there. I’m going to find Avernus, get this cure, and then we can start a family. I’ll be away a few months at most.”

(Little did she know at the time circumstances and a rift would force her trip to last far longer- a year, in fact)

He reached up and placed a hand on her cheek, and the tender look stopped her heart in her chest and made her smirk fall away. _Maker_ , she’d miss this man. Her fingers reached up to entwine with his, and his voice was broken when he told her, “I’ll miss you.”

She leaned into him, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. A tear slipped down her cheek, blazing a trail, and when she moved back he reached forwards and brushed it off.

“Don’t cry… to the Void with it, sweetheart, I’m sorry that I’m being such a brat over this. I forgot how hard this is going to be for you,” he whispered, and she shook her head, turning her head to kiss his palm.

“I can still come with you, you know,” he whispered, and she gave him a look.

Even with watery eyes, she knew it was venomous.

“Bullshit. Eamon would have the army track you down in less than a week. Then kill you. Or possibly just put you in the stocks and see how much the public like throwing rotten fruit at their King, one of the two,” she paused, managing to summon up a smile, “Actually, that would be really good for morale, maybe I should suggest it before I go…”

“No.”

His retort was sharp, but his eyes were soft, lips threatening to turn up into a smile. She leaned forwards and kissed him again, but this one was longer, a fire barely burning but threatening to burst into flames. She pulled back, breathless.

“Ferelden can survive without its’ Queen,” she whispered, finally.

“I can’t,” he replied, and he looked so lost and young that she almost pulled him back to her. Instead, she shook her head and stood.

“You have Eamon, and Teagan, and a whole host of others behind you. You also have the small issue of the mages and Templars possibly killing each other, but you can deal with it. You were planning to go to the Conclave in a couple of months, though, weren’t you?” she asked, and he shook his head.

“I’m no expert on either of those things, Liss, and they won’t want a former Templar there to moderate things. I’m not exactly the least biased source. I’m sure the Divine has it well in hand, and I’m sending the Court’s cleric there to report back to me at the end of it all.”

She nodded and stood from the bed, sheathing her blades.

“Now, remember, I’ll only be gone for a few months. You’ll be fine, and you’ll probably barely notice I’m gone,” he opened his mouth to protest, and she silenced him with a kiss.

“Don’t protest. Go to sleep. I’ll see you when I get back.”

“And you’ll _definitely_ come back?” he asked, and she heard the hidden meaning in his voice.

_You won’t die out there?_

“I always come back, Alistair. I love you.”

And just like that, she was gone.

She mounted her horse without anyone even noticing her enter the stables, the chestnut mare butting her leg with her nose in greeting. Gently, she nudged the animal to go faster, running out into the cold, dark night as fast as she could.

It wasn’t until later that night, when she finally saw Denerim and her castle fade from sight, that she leaned against her horse’s mane and sobbed. The salt of her tears merged with the cold rain battering her face and she felt- for the first time since her family died- completely alone.


End file.
